1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to brush devices and more specifically it relates to a gum and denture clearing system for cleaning adhesive and other debris from the gums and dentures of a denture wearer thereby increasing the wearer's comfort and increasing the effectiveness of new adhesive applied to the dentures. The gum cleaning system stimulates the gums during and after cleaning leaving the gums of the user feeling clean and refreshing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are numerous brush devices. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,325 to Bortman; U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,570 to Haeusser et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,045 to Rauch; U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,866 to Simonds; U.S. Pat. No. 3,994,039 to Hadary; U.S. Pat. No. 4,783,874 to Perches et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,033,007 to Hadary; U.S. Pat. No. 4,488,328 to Hyman; U.S. Pat. No. 4,370,773 to Hadary; U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,763 to Eguchi; U.S. Pat. No. 369,243 to Hunt; U.S. Pat. No. 5,324,129 to Root; U.S. Pat. No. 5,247,718 to Victorian; U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,786 to Porat et al are illustrative of such prior art.
Bortman (U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,325) discloses an angularly adjustable double headed toothbrush which a brush portion pivotally connected to the handle. The head portion of Bortman may be provided with a pair of opposing brushes for simultaneously brushing both sides of a tooth. Bortman does not disclose a brush for brushing three sides of the gums of a denture wearer.
Haeusser et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,570) discloses a toothbrush for simultaneous cleaning of teeth on both sides. Haeusser discloses a handle, a bristle holder having a U-shaped cross section, and a plurality of bristles in the bristle holder facing inward. Haeusser does not disclose a pivoting means for allowing the bristle holder to remain parallel to the teeth during cleaning.
Rauch (U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,045) discloses a toothbrush with a teeth brushing surface and two gum treatment brush surfaces for massaging the gums during casual brushing. Rauch does not disclose a pivoting means for allowing the bristle holder to remain parallel to the teeth during cleaning.
While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for cleaning adhesive from the gums and dentures of a denture wearer thereby increasing the wearer's comfort and increasing the effectiveness of new adhesive applied to the dentures. None of the prior art discloses a brush capable of effectively cleaning the dentures from a denture adhesive. Further, none of the prior art discloses a brush capable of massaging and cleaning all three sides of the gums while maintaining a parallel position of all of the bristles with respect to the gums of the user.
In these respects, the gum and denture cleaning system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of cleaning adhesive from the gums and dentures of a denture wearer thereby increasing the wearer's comfort and increasing the effectiveness of new adhesive applied to the dentures.